Harvesting-machine



(No Model.) 7 1 J. C. HRDING.v HARVBSTING MACHINE.

No. 437,113. Patented $6111.23, 1890.

UNITEDA STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES C. HARDING, OF TOPEKA, KANSAS.l

HARvEsTlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming-part of Letters Patent N o. 437,113, datedSeptember 23, 1890.

Application iiled May 27, 1889. Serial No. 312,278. (No model.)

.T0 all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, JAMES C. IIARDING,a citizen of the United States,residing at Topeka, in the county of Shawnee and State of Kansas, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in IAIarvesting-Machines;and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to harvesting-ma chines for cutting up corn forfodder or sorghum-cane for sugar; and it consists, essentially, of theseveral parts hereinafter described.

In the drawings like letters refer to like parts in all the figures.

Figure lis a plan or top view of ar machine embodying my invention. Fig.2 is a detail view showing the manner of attaching the arms to thedumping-chains. Fig. 8 is a detail view of the gearing between thedumping-shaft and the driving-shaft. Fig. 4 is a side view of the reel,showing the manner of imparting motion thereto.

A A is the frame, to which is attached the tongue B, to which the teamis hitched for drawing the machine over the eld. ln the frame A is theaxle c, on which the drive or carrying wheels C C revolve. These wheelsare fitted with the well-known device of sidegearing ratchets, by meansof which they may be allowed to turn on the shaft when it is desired notto operate the various attached machinery, or by the usual method ofthrowing into gear the drive-wheels may be made to revolve the axle c.To the axle c', at its right-hand projecting end; is fixed solid thelarge spur-gear c2, meshing with the spurpinion d, The pinion d4 isfixed solid to the shaft d3, which has at its outer end the bevel- Wheeld2, meshing with the bevel-pinion CZ. The bevel-pinion d is fixed solidto the vertical shaft, to which is fixed by proper collars the saw D.This saw has V-shaped teeth, which are sharp on both edges, so that whenby revolving in one direction one side or cutting-edge of the teeth isdull the circle maybe reversed or turned the other side up and useduntil the other side is dull, when both sides may be ground at the sametime. To the shaft c is also fixed the bevel-wheel c3, meshing in thebevel-wheel e', fixed solid on the inner end of the shaft E. The shaft Ehas at its outer end a sprocket-wheel e2 on which the sprocket-chain e3is carried. This chain extends to and operates the sprocket-wheel f',which is fixed solid to the outer end of the shaft F. The shaft F at itsinner end has `fixed solid a mutilated gear-wheel f3, the details ofwhich are shown by plan view in Fig. 3. The purpose of this mutilatedgear-wheel f3 is to transmit motion from shaft F to shaft H at fixedintervals in the revolution of said shaft F, whereby the chains L willbe wound on the drums h2 h2 and carry the grain from off the platform.The chain K will be wound on drum J 2 as the chains L are unwound fromthe drums .I J and effect a distension of spring K, and when themutilated part of gear-wheel f3, or the portion thereof without teeth,comes opposite pinion h the spring K will contract and unwind the chainK and rewind the chains L L.

The shaft H has at its frontend a spurpinion h', fixed solid, and alsoat the points shown, the two drums h2 71,2. To the drums h2 h2 are fixedthe dumping-chains L L, which should be flat, similar tosprocket-chains, to preserve the position of the upright arms Z Z.

The platform I serves the double purpose of a bearing for the shafts Hand J and a receptacle for receiving the cnt fodder or cane. The frame Iis supported at its outer end on the wheel t.

The upright arms l Z are fixed to the chains LL, as shown in detail inFig. 2, and as will be seen by a simple method,whereby when they arebeing carried to the right by the recoil of the spring the arms arevertical, or nearly so, and when the chains carry them to the left theywill be in nearly a horizontal position, allowing them to pass freelybelow the fodder or cane which has been cut and fallen on the platform Iwhile they were passing to the left, carrying with them the bunch oramount cut during their passage and dumping it at left of the platform.

IOO

The chains L are separated, one end being attached to the lower end ofthe arm Z' at a, and the other end being connected with the arm Z at asome distance above the point a. The brace Z2, extending from the rearside of the arm Z, bears on the chain L and supports the arm Z' in avertical position when it is traveling from right to left.

The reel G is supported by the shaft g3 and revolved by bevel-wheel g2,meshing with f2, attached to the shaft F near the vertical axle g3 ofthe reel G. This reel hasa suitable number of projecting arms g' g',te., which in the revolutions of the reel are pressed against theeornstalks above the said saw D, thus holding them against the saw whilebeing cut, and pushing them over on the platform I after they are cutoff.

At the extreme right of the frame is a tra-veling wheel 2l', attached tothe framcI to support it at its outer edge. There is also attached tothe f rout part of the frame A a dragbar M, the saw-carrier N being theother portion. These two parts M N are so attached as to allow theoperator to raise or lower the inner end of the sickle-saw carrier, thusaccommodatin g the cutting machinery to irregularities in the ground, orany desired difference in the height at which stalks are to be cut.

It will be seen that by setting the drivewheels C C' in gear with theaxle o' and causing it to revolve all the attached machinery will beoperated-that is to say, the rotary saw D will cut off the stalks orcanes, the reelarms g pressing them against the saw, and when cut offthrowing them backward onto the platform I. The shaft I'I, revolving,will draw the arms Z toward the left, carrying the stalks into bunchesand dumping them over the side of the platform, thus accomplishing thepurpose designed.

I'laving thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. The herein shown and described harvester, comprising the frame A, theplatform I, the shafts c' and E, the shaft F, geared with the shaft E,the reel-shaft g3, geared with the shaft F, the saw D, geared with theshaft c', the shafts II and J, the mutilated gear-wheel f on shaft F,the pinion 7L on shaft Il, the chains L, passing around the shafts IIand J, the arms Z', the closed spring K, and the chain K', substantiallyas described.

2. The combination, with the chain L, sepaarated in its length, of thearm Z', having the separated parts of the chain connected with the arm Zat different points, the one above the other, and the brace Z2projecting from the said arm, substantially as described.

3. In aharvesting-machine, the combination, with the power-driven shaftF, and the mutilated gear-wheel f 3, mounted on shaftF, of the shaft 1I,having pinion 7L', which is adapted to be operated by the said mutilatedgear-wheel, the shaft J, a spring for turning shaft .I in one direction,and chains L, connected at their ends with the shafts II and .I andwound on shaft .I to act in opposition to the said spring, and havingarms Z', substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAM ES C. IIARDING.

Itnessesz MAX. B. HENRY, JAMES B. MURRAY.

